SLOs and the Purpose of Higher Education

Takeaways from Friday SLO Talks:

The fundamental purpose of higher education should be to ensure students learn and develop the skills, competencies, and mastery necessary to thrive in their personal and professional lives. While course completion is often used as a proxy for progress, it is not synonymous with meaningful learning. Here’s why focusing on learning over mere completion is essential:

1. Competency Over Compliance

Completing a course may indicate that a student has met attendance and submission requirements, but it does not guarantee they have acquired the knowledge or skills intended by the curriculum. True success lies in whether students can apply what they've learned in real-world scenarios. For instance, a graduate in engineering should not just pass courses but demonstrate the ability to solv ...